1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in swimming pools or other impoundments (hereinafter, xe2x80x9cswimming poolsxe2x80x9d), for use in patios, gardens, open spaces, around homes. More specifically, the present invention relates to swimming pools comprised of canvas or similar material (hereinafter, xe2x80x9cmembranexe2x80x9d), which are easily assembled or disassembled, and in particular comprise a tubular structure which can be disassembled. This tubular structure serves as support and is connected to the edge regions (or edge loops) of the membrane. The membrane defines the space for containing the water.
2. Description of the Related Art
Swimming pools comprised of membranes of various materials (e.g. canvas or plastic), can be erected rapidly in a patio or garden, and have come into widespread use because they allow one to make effective use of a space without suffering major modification of that space.
These swimming pools are generally comprised of a tubular structure which defines an upper and lower frame of the pool. The upper and lower frames are comprised of small tubes for coupling the lateral legs of the pool which legs will ultimately support the membrane. The overall structure is designed such that it can be readily assembled and disassembled.
Whereas the tubular structures utilized heretofore do indeed satisfy the principle purpose intended, they have the drawback that, being comprised of a plurality of tube segments which form the upper and lower frame substructures, they occupy too much space to be commercialized, and are costly due to the large number of pieces of which they are comprised. Another drawback of the known structures is that in order to empty them one must employ an external hose and a pump.
The proposed invention has as its principal objects improvements in the supporting structure of a membrane-type swimming pool and a means of fixing the generally flexible profiled enclosure of the water to the legs which support the upper tubular framework of the structure and outlet device having a closure plug.
Another object of the present invention is a means of incorporating, in the lateral walls of the generally flexible profiled enclosure of the space containing the water, a series of extensions, tabs, strips, or straps (hereinafter collectively xe2x80x9cextensions or stripsxe2x80x9d) which serve as supporting elements for the lateral legs of the structure, in instances where the rigid frame consists only of an upper framework and legs. A further object of the present invention is to provide an outlet device which forms a part of the membrane.
Still other objects of the invention are to provide a means whereby, once the structure of the swimming pool has been erected, the walls (i.e., of the frame and the membrane) provide improved support for the pool and the contents and means of rapidly and easily connecting an outlet hose to the pool.
The present invention also proposes improvements in swimming pools of the types described, which improvements consist of incorporating, in the lateral walls of the membrane, at or contiguous to the bottom expanse of the membrane, a means of fixing each such wall to the tubular legs, to provide improved support of the structure, thus dispensing with a bottom frame (or in cases where there is no bottom frame).
Another object of the proposed invention is to provide a system for rapidly and easily coupling the water outlet hose. The described coupling means is in the form of a piece of plastic material which is integrally incorporated into one of the lateral walls of the swimming pool and which has an articulated plug which allows one to empty the swimming pool easily and quickly, through a large outlet flow aperature.
Finally, the present invention provides a dismountable swimming pool of low cost, which is achieved by way of a lesser number of tubular pieces, enabling easier and less expensive packaging of the product for sale, and facilitating compact storage during cold periods.